Device for operating railroad-gates



(No Model.) 2 S hetsSheet 1, J. D. CAMPBELL & M. E. CUMMINGS. A DEVICE FOR OPERATING RAILROAD GATES;v No. 603,622 i ategted May 110, 1898.

Q W X (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. D; CAMPBELL & M. E. CUMMINGS. DEVICE FOR OPERATING RAILROAD GATES.

No. 603,621. Patented May 10,1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

JOHN D. CAMPBELL AND MELLROY E. CUMMINGS, OF PARIS, MAINE; SAID CAMPBELL ASSIGNOR OF ONE-EIGHTH TO FOSTER M. HASKELL, OF BOS- TON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING RAILROAD-GATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 603,621, dated May 10, 1898.

Application filed June 19, 1897. Serial No. 641,402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: side of the center. As herein shown in Fig. Be it known that we, JOHN D. CAMPBELL 1, the beam rests on the two pivots C and C,

and MELLROY E. CUMMINGS, citizens of the the upper ends of the pivots being formed United States, residing at West Paris, in the with knife-edges, which fit into correspond- 5 county of Oxford and State of Maine, have ing notches b in the under side of the beam. invented certain new and useful Improve- These pivots are located one on each side of ments in Devices for Operating Railroad the center, so that the beam is held in stable Gates; and we do hereby declare the followequilibrium. At the end of the beam are ing to be a full, clear, and exact description weights D and D, bolted or otherwise secured IQ of the invention, such as will enable others to the beam, the two weights preferably balskilled in the art to which it appertains to ancing each other. Connections are made make and use the same. between the disk and the ends of the beam,

Our invention relates to a device for auso that as the former is moved about its centomatically operating railroad-gates by the ter in different directions the ends of the I 5 action of a passing train; and it consists of beam willbe alternately lifted. This connecthe mechanism hereinafter described and tion is preferably made, as herein shown, by claimed. means of cords e and 6, each of which con- In the accompanying drawings we have nects with the disk at its rear edge and passes shown a device constructed according to our around pulleys f or f and f being fastened 2o invention, the connection between the operin an eyebolt d or d in the upper portion of ating device and the gate being of a simple the weights. As the lever II is moved one character to illustrate its manner of use. way or the other one or the otherend of the In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general front beam is lifted, the opposite end being allowed elevation showing the gate down. Fig. 2 is to fall at the same time.

25 a plan of the central portion with parts out Connection is made with the gate U, by away to show the construction of the operatwhich the fall of one or the other of the weights ing-lever. Fig. 3 is a detailof the beam. Fig. 13' or D either opens or closes the gate. As 4. is a side elevation of a modification of the here shown, a cord m is secured to one end pivoting mechanism of same. Fig. 5 is a plan of the beam and passes over a pulley n to a 30 view of same. Fig. 6 is a section showing connection with one edge of a wheel-lever q. modification where a device is used for double The opposite end of the beam is connected in tracks, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of same. like manner with the opposite edge of the The operating device is mounted in a suitwheel-lever by a cord 0, which passes over a able framework A, having a base a resting pulley p.

3 5 on supports of. Above the base a is a cross- Secured to the wheel-leverqis a wheel-lever bar a, and between them is journaled in a r, the opposite edges of which are connected horizontal position the disk G, to which is with the gate U at points on either side of the pivoted the operating-lever H. pivot by means of cords s and t. The connec- The lever I-I projects horizontally out in tions are such that the falling of the weight 40 such a position that it will be struck by some D raises or opens the gate, and the falling of suitable portion of the train or locomotive, the weight D lowers or closes it.

and the disk and lever are joined together by In order to retard the fall of the weights,- a yielding connection in some suitable manwe place beneath the weights dash-pots I and 5 ner for the purpose hereinafter shown. As I, having piston-rods i and i, respectively.

45 here shown, the lever is pivoted above the The upper ends of these piston rods are disk bymeans of the same journal which holds pressed normally against the under side of the disk, and the two are joined together by the beam, so as to be always in contact theremeans of the springs h h, which connect the with, by means of a cord k andweight Z, the I00 two sides of the lever with adjacent edges of cord passingoverapulley k and beingsecured 50 the disk. to an arm j, secured to theupper end of the Above the leverHisahorizontally-disposed piston-rod 1; or i. The action of the weight beam B, resting on two pivots, one on each Z,which is onlyjust sufficient for the purpose,

keeps the upper end of the piston-rod'at all times pressed lightly against the under side of the beam.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown a manner of pivoting the beam so as to steady it laterally. A standard 19 has upwardly-projecting studs 19 on each side, so that the beam is held from tilting or swinging laterally. It also has on each side notches or recesses in which fit the pins or pivots 19 which pass through the beam. By this construction the beam is more firmly held than as shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we show an arrangement for applying the device to double tracks. The device is set between the tracks, and two levers L and L are pivoted on a single pivot 19 and project outward in each direction. The

. levers are here shown as connected integrally with the disks. Each lever has cords or guides 6 connecting with it on opposite sides of the pivot and connecting with one of the weights, as D, and other cords or guides e in like manner connecting with the other weight, as D. Thus a train on either track going in onedirection will exert a pull on the cord 6', operating weight D, while a train going in the opposite direction will exert a pull on the cord e, operating the weight D.

The operation of our device is as follows: The passing train strikes the lever H and throws it over, lifting one end of the beam bodily from both pivots. This action allows the opposite end of the beam to fall, andin falling it operates the gate, as already described. As the beam descends the notch nearest the lower end strikes its pivot and p the lever H having been released by the train the upper weight overbalances the under one and brings the beam to a horizontal position and the lever H to a central position. Thus in whatever direction the train may move the gate is operated and the lever is immediately set again for the next train. The yieldin g connection between the lever and the disk prevents the blow of the train against the lever from being suddenly transmitted to the weight and so prevents damage.

It will be understood that the operating device is to be set far enough from the crossing so that persons desiring to cross will have due warning, and for this purpose a gong may be attached to the gate in the usual manner.

It will be understood that while the device has been described as applied particularly to railroad-gates it may be applied to other gates, and it may be worked by hand as well as automatically by the passing trains.

It will further be understood that one of these devices is located on each side of each a horizontal beam weighted at each end, a pair of pivots for supporting said beam, one on each side of the center, mechanism connecting said lever with the ends of said beam for lifting the same alternately by a movement in opposite directions and mechanism connecting the ends of said beam with the gate whereby the latter is opened by the lowering of one end of said beam and closed by the lowering of the other end.

2. The herein-described device for operating railroad-gates consisting of a pivoted 1ever adapted to be struck by a passing train, a horizontal beam weighted at each end, a pair of pivots for supporting said beam, one on each side of the center, mechanism connecting said lever with the ends of said beam for lifting the same, operating mechanism connect-ing the ends of said beam with the gate and a dash-pot beneath each end of said beam to retard its downward movement.

3. The herein-described device for operating railroad-gates consisting of a pivoted lever adapted to be struck by a passing train, a horizontal beam weighted at each end, a pair of pivots for supporting said beam, one on each side of the center, flexible cords or guides connecting said lever with the ends of said beam for lifting the same, and flexible cords or guides connecting the ends of said beam with the gate so arranged that the falling of one end of said beam opens and the other closes said gate.

4. In a device for operating railroad-gates, the combination of a disk journaled in a horizontal position, ball-bearings for supporting the same, a lever pivoted to said disk and connected therewith by a yielding connection, a horizontal beam weighted at each end, a pair of pivots for supporting said beam, one on each side of the center, flexible cords or guides connecting said disk with the ends of said beam for lifting the same and mechanism connecting the ends of the said beam with the gate.

5. In a device for operating railroad-gates of said beam for retarding its downwardmovement and means for keeping said pistonrod pressed upward against the end of said beam.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. CAMPBELL. MELLROY E. CUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

J OSEPH O. HARLOW, CHANDLER GARLAND. 

